COUNTY NEWS: Christmas day killer jailed for life

Oliver John Parsons, 31, appeared in Lewes Crown Court via video link from Lewes Prison today (Tuesday, November 3) to be sentenced for the murder of Rustington man Joe Lewis, 24.

Mr Parsons, of no fixed address, was given a life sentence of 16 years by Judge Barnes this afternoon with the victim’s family present.

In the early hours of Christmas day 2014, Mr Parsons admitted to stabbing Mr Lewis in the chest following an altercation at Warwick Mount, Montague Street, Brighton.

Three men at the address, including flat owner Mateusz Witczak, consumed 18 cans of lager, a bottle of vodka and whiskey between them, along with a legal high at the time, Euphoria.

Defence Iain Marley said: “By the early hours of Christmas day all three men were under the significant influence of alcohol and drugs.

“Euphoria stimulates the production of dopamine which is what makes us happy and in large quantities it causes over the top crazy happiness and over stimulates the nervous system, and people act out of character.

“The tragic event which unfolded in a matter of seconds in a happy gathering of friends wouldn’t have happened if not for the consumption of the drug.”

Mr Marley said following the consumption of Euphoria, Mr Witczak told police that Mr Lewis became very loud. Concerned about the neighbours, he asked him to be quiet; this led to an altercation between Mr Parsons and Mr Lewis.

Mr Parsons stabbed Mr Lewis between two ribs and penetrated his heart, damaging a ventricle.